SHEET PAN CHILI CRISP GNOCCHI AND VEGETABLES

 From Hetty McKinnon, via Food52

Ingredients:

For Gnocchi/vegetables:

1 package shelf-stable gnocchi, usually 17.5 oz (500g) (more is OK, just increase oil and chili crisp amounts slightly)

1 or 2 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes

3 T olive oil (try garlic-infused?)

2 to 3 T Lao Gan Ma chili crisp, divided

3/4 t salt, divided

Freshly ground black pepper

4 Japanese eggplants, 10"-12" long

2 large or 4 small heads of bok choy

1 bunch scallions, divided

2 t toasted sesame oil

For Scallion Sour Cream:

8 oz sour cream

1/2 package of lipton french onion dip mix

2 scallions, finely sliced

Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon

Methodology:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Bring a pot of salted water to boil, cook the gnocchi and potato cubes for the time listed on the gnocchi package (usually 2-5 minutes).  

While the gnocchi and potatoes are cooking, add 2 T olive oil, 1 T chili crisp, 1/4 t salt and 1/2 t black pepper to a large bowl.  Stir to combine.  Drain the gnocchi and potatoes and add to the large bowl.  Mix well and spread out in one layer on a large sheet pan, leaving some space free.  Place into the preheated oven and set a timer for 15 minutes.

Slice the eggplants in half, then cut on the diagonal into pieces 1 1/2"-2" long.  Mix another 1 T olive oil, 1 T chili crisp and 1/4 t salt in the large bowl, add the eggplant and toss to combine.  Take the sheet pan out of the oven and add the eggplant, trying to place the pieces cut-side down, so they make full contact with the pan.  Return the pan to the oven and roast for the remaining time.

Cut/tear the bok choy into quarters (if large), or halves (if small). Cut all but two scallions in half, then into 2" lengths (thinly slice and save the remaining 2 scallions, 1/3 for garnish, 2/3 for the scallion sour cream).  Toss the bok choy and scallions in the large bowl with 2 t sesame oil, 1 t chili crisp, and 1/4 t salt.

Once the 15 minute roast time has elapsed, and the scallions and bok choy to the sheet pan and return to the oven until the white bulbs of the bok choy and scallions are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with scallion sour cream.

In a small bowl, mix sour cream, 2/3 of sliced scallions, french onion dip mix, and lime juice.

RHUBARB SHRUB

 From Christina Chaey's Gentle Foods Substack newsletter

Ingredients:

2 c rhubarb stalks, sliced 1/2" thick, divided

1 c (200 g) sugar

1/4 c water

1 c vinegar (sherry or rice)

Methodology:

Place half the rhubarb in a heatproof bowl.

Combine the remaining rhubarb, sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to simmer over high heat, stirring occasionally.  Scrape mixture into heatproof bowl with remaining rhubarb and stir to combine. 

Let the mixture sit at room temperature for a few hours, stirring occasionally. 

Add vinegar and stir to combine.  Taste and add more sugar or vinegar as you please - it should be equal parts sweet and tart.  Cover the container and chill mixture for at least 24 hours, up to 3 days, until you're happy with the flavor. 

Strain the shrub and store for up to 6 weeks, refrigerated.  The solid pieces of rhubarb are great for snacking or stirred into yoghurt. 

Serve by stirring a few teaspoons into a glass of seltzer. 

ORZO WITH GREENS AND LEMON

 Recipe from @recipesbyanne

4 servings.  I served this with pan-fried salmon.

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

250 g (~8 oz) orzo pasta

1 t better than bouillon, mixed in 400ml boiling water

1/2 lb snow pea tips (or 1 bunch asparagus, tough ends peeled, cut into 1" lengths)

Zest from 1 lemon

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1 t dried Italian herb mix (or 1/2 t each dried basil and thyme)

1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper, or to taste

Methodology:

Add the oil to a large pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and some are turning golden. 

Add the orzo and stir frequently, until most of the orzo is lightly toasted.

Add the bouillon water, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.  

Uncover, throw in the snow pea tips, and cover to cook 2-3 minutes. Stir, then cook until the orzo is done (it might already be done).

Once the orzo is cooked, toss in the zest, juice, herbs and salt and pepper, taste again, and serve!

N.B.: The original recipe includes 1 T butter and 50 g parmesan, to finish, but I found the dish flavorful and rich enough. 

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH MUSHROOMS AND ONIONS

Tenderloin recipe from Natasha's Kitchen

4 servings

Tenderloin:

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil

1 lb pork tenderloin, silverskin trimmed

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 t black pepper

3/4 t Italian seasoning

3/4 t garlic powder

3/4 t ground coriander

Methodology:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.  

Heat the oil in a large a cast iron pan over medium-high heat.  

Grind all the spices together with the salt, and rub evenly over the tenderloin.  Once the oil is hot, brown the tenderloin well on all sides.

Transfer the pan to the oven and continue to cook until tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 150°F.  Remove from the oven, transfer the tenderloin to a plate, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Slice and enjoy.

Mushrooms and Onions:

Ingredients:

2  8 oz containers of peeled pearl onions

10 sprigs fresh thyme

3 T olive oil, divided

2  8 oz containers of baby bella mushrooms, quartered and halved, very small mushrooms left whole

2 T butter, unsalted

2 T balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

Methodology:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  

Place onions and thyme on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 T oil, then toss to coat.  Roast for 10 minutes, tossing once.

Add mushrooms on top of onions and drizzle with remaining oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 10 minutes, toss and continue roasting and tossing until most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated, about 10-15 minutes more.

Add butter and drizzle with balsamic vinegar, roast 2 minutes, toss once more and serve. 

This is served to perfection with buttermilk mashed potatoes!

BUTTERMILK WAFFLES

Straight from the Martha Stewart site, because I'm scared it'll disappear one day

Makes 4 large Belgian waffles

Ingredients:

2 c AP flour

2 T sugar

2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

2 c buttermilk

1/4 c (4 T) unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

butter or oil to grease waffle iron

Methodology:

1. Preheat oven to 275°F and place a wire rack over a baking sheet inside the oven.

2. Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

3. Whisk together wet ingredients, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

4. Heat individual waffle iron plates over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Butter both plates, add batter (spreading with a utensil if necessary), leaving 1/2" bare around edges of iron.  Close and cook for 1 1/2 minutes over medium heat, then flip and cook an additional minute.  Loosen waffle and slide onto the warming rack in the oven.  Continue with remaining batter.

BA'S BEST BOLOGNESE

From Bon Appetit's website, now behind a pay wall

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

3 T olive oil

1 lb ground beef, 20% fat

3 oz thinly sliced pancetta, finely chopped

1/3 c tomato paste

1 c white wine

2 c chicken stock

1 c milk

pinch of nutmeg

1 bay leaf

1 t fish sauce

fresh pasta, with some pasta water reserved

parmigiano to serve

Methodology:

Pulse onion, carrot and celery in food processor until very finely chopped.

Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium flame.  Break beef into 1 1/2"-2" chunks and lightly brown, stirring but not breaking apart, 6-8 minutes.  Remove from pot and reserve.

Add pancetta to pot and cook until fat has rendered and meat is crisp, 5-8 minutes.  Add onion mixture and cook until vegetables are very soft.  Add tomato paste and cook until it begins to darken and vegetables are beginning to stick.  

Add beef and wine, and cook, pressing down and smashing beef, until the wine has evaporated, and the meat is very finely ground. 

Add stock, milk, nutmeg, bay leaf and fish sauce.  Reduce heat to very low, so only a few bubbles are visible, and cook until beef is very tender, 2 - 2 1/2 hours.  Taste, and add more fish sauce if called for.  

Cook pasta as directed on package, and mix pasta, sauce, and a bit of pasta water to emulsify.  Add parm and serve with a big green salad.

DOVER SOLE & SIMPLE BROWNED BUTTER SAUCE FOR WHITE FISH

For the fish:

From this Wulf's Fish recipe

Ingredients:

1 whole dover sole, cleaned and gutted, skin on

Methodology:

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Place fish on a foil lined baking sheet.

Roast uncovered 10-15 minutes,  The fish will be cooked when you can easily remove the skin and the top fillets from the bone.

For the sauce:

From this Wulf's Fish online recipe

Ingredients:

2 T salted butter

2 T capers, chopped

2 T parsley, finely minced

Juice from 1/2 lemon, about 2 t

Methodology:

Gently melt and then brown the butter, turning off the heat as soon as the butter begins to go past pale gold and smell nutty.  Stir in the capers, parsley, and lemon juice.  

Serve table-side.

SPICY PORK NOODLE SAUCE

 from Bon Appetit, now behind a pay wall

6-8 servings

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil

2 lb ground pork, divided

1 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 T sugar

2 T tomato paste

2 sprigs basil, plus more for serving

1/3 c sambal oelek

1/4 c soy sauce

1/4 c unseasoned rice vinegar

2 T unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Ramen or spaghetti noodles to serve

Methodology:

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Add half of pork to pot, breaking apart into 6-8 large chunks with a wooden spoon.  Cook, undisturbed, until well browned underneath, about 5 miuntes.  Turn pieces and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until pork is browned on 2-3 sides, about 5 minutes longer.  

Add ginger, garlic, sugar and remaining pork to pot and cook, breaking up pork into small clumps, until meat is nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.  

Add tomato paste and 2 basil sprigs.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until paste darkens, about 2 minutes.

Add chili paste, soy sauce, vinegar and 2 c water.  Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 30-45 minutes.  Add butter and stir to combine.

Serve with ramen or spaghetti.  Top with torn basil.